Summerfield murders: Jones told cops he used bat on wife

Thursday

Marion County sheriff's officials said the murder occurred on July 10 at the family's home at 14680 SE 86th Terrace in Summerfield.

A Summerfield man suspected of killing his wife and her four children in July told law investigators he beat her to death with a baseball bat.

Michael Wayne Jones, 32, said that, during an argument, his wife, Casei Jones, got a baseball bat. Michael Jones said he took the bat away from her and, according to an arrest report, "struck her repeatedly with the bat, killing her."

Marion County sheriff's officials said the murder occurred on July 10 at their home at 14680 SE 86th Terrace in Summerfield.

Jones has been charged with second-degree murder for the death of his wife. As for the four children, two of whom were his, no charges have been filed in their deaths.

Sheriff's Detective Ian Simpson, the author of the report, states on Sept. 14, a missing and endangered investigation was started concerning the whereabouts of Casei Jones and her children, Mercalli Jones, 2, Aiyana Jones, 1, Cameron Bowers, 10 and Preston Bowers, 5.

Nikki Jones, the victim's mother and grandmother, said she hadn't seen or heard from them for several weeks and was concerned that her son-in-law "has done something to them."

Deputy Chase King went to the couple's address and, when he arrived, said the home appeared to have been vacant for several weeks. King got permission from the property owner to enter the home and, when the he did, smelled a foul odor.

The woman and her vehicle were entered into a database as missing endangered, according to the report.

Detective Bradley Bartlett and Lt. Claude McQuaig went to the home and got a search warrant. Once they got the warrant, they entered and determined it was a crime scene.

Meanwhile, the detectives were notified by authorities in Georgia that Michael Jones had been detained following a single-vehicle crash. They were also told that Jones said he had killed his wife. Her body was found in his van in Georgia.

He told officials where to find the children's bodies, which had been hidden in Georgia.

Sheriff's officials said Thursday that a Medical Examiner's Office in Georgia is yet not finished with its report on a cause and manner of death. At a news conference on Sept. 18, when Jones was brought back to Marion County, investigators said they will need to do a forensic examination to confirm the identities and determine the cause and manner of death.

They said that, based on the report they received, the woman was beaten with a baseball bat.

Marion County authorities suspect Michael Jones had been driving around with the bodies for a few weeks or longer. They said the bodies were badly decomposed.

The family had been living in Summerfield since April. Before then, they lived in Leesburg. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office had no calls for service at the address and no run-ins with Michael Jones, officials said.